Clothes hanger storage device

ABSTRACT

A clothes hanger storage device includes a container and a plurality of pillars inside the container for retaining a multitude of variously-sized and -shaped hangers. The plurality of pillars may be arranged as two sets of pillars, or two elongated pillar units, wherein large triangular hangers extend around both sets of pillars or around the two elongated pillar units, and small triangular hangers extend around only one set of pillars or one elongated pillar unit. Non-triangular hangers, such as hangers only comprising two shoulders, may be stored in the container by being trapped between the container wall and the pillars, but not extending around the pillars. The clothes hanger storage device may be adapted to be hung from a door, stored underneath a counter or in a closet, or attached to the door of a cabinet. In an optional embodiment, the container may be fitted with a releasable lid that fits over the top of the container. The preferred lid may be moved to a dispensing position, which leaves room between the container and the lid through which one or more hangers may be removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to clothing hangers, and more specifically, to acontainer for stacking, storing, carrying, or dispensing a plurality ofclothes hangers. The invention further relates to a container forstoring clothes hangers comprising triangularly arranged pillarsupending from the base of the container, so that a variety ofdifferently-sized or -shaped hangers may be stacked over the pillars.

2. Related Art

In the dry cleaning business, retail businesses, and in home use, it isimportant to have a storage device for excess hangers. Do to the unusualshapes and sizes of clothing hangers, many become interlocked andtangled when stored loosely in a box. Often the box in which hangers arestored can be aesthetically unpleasing, and may take up valuableunder-counter or other storage space. In an effort to provide aneffective means for storing clothing hangers, many clothing hangerstorage devices have been patented.

Issued patents relating to clothes hanger storing and carrying devicesare reviewed hereinafter.

Peterson (U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,968) discloses a collapsible carton memberfor the storage of clothes hangers.

Hildt (U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,981) discloses a rack for storing clotheshangers having a single neck portion and two shoulder portions whereinthe rack comprises a base and a plurality of elongated posts extendingupwardly and perpendicular to the upper surface of the base.

Keen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,905) discloses a device for organizing,storing and dispensing garment hangers comprising a vertically disposedglide rod for engaging the hanger hook and two vertically disposed guiderods positioned on opposite sides of said glide rod and spaced forwardthereof for engaging the respective outer shoulder portions of thegarment hanger. The bottom ends of the guide rods and glide rod aremounted to a base.

Scola (U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,184) discloses a clothes hanger carryingdevice for neatly stacking and storing a plurality of conventional wiretype clothes hangers. The carrying device includes a bottom base flangehaving a greater perimeter than the triangular body of the clotheshanger to provide a support for a plurality of the hangers, and astacking body extending upwardly from the base flange.

Dahnke (U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,457) discloses a hanger guide attached to abase wherein the clothes hangers are received on the hanger guide.

Licari (U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,904) discloses a hanger package and displayassembly comprising a top and bottom platform, and at least twospaced-apart rods vertically disposed between the platforms.

Design applications relating to clothes hanger storage devices are asfollows: Kiggens et al. (U.S. Pat. No. D237,442); Pawuk et al. (U.S.Pat. No. D382,402); Shawhan (U.S. Pat. No. 392,818); Jones (U.S. Pat.No. 403,862); Spurgeon et al. (U.S. Pat. No. D417,802); Wacks (U.S. Pat.No. D421,686); and, Kim (U.S. Pat. No. D465,352).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a clothes hanger storage device, and morespecifically, a clothes hanger storage device comprising a container anda plurality of pillars inside said container for retaining a multitudeof variously-sized and -shaped hangers. The plurality of pillars may bearranged as two sets of pillars, or two elongated pillar units, whereinlarge triangular hangers extend around both sets of pillars or aroundthe two elongated pillar units, and small triangular hangers only extendaround one set of pillars or one elongated pillar unit. Non-triangularhangers, such as hangers only comprising two shoulders, may be stored inthe container by being trapped between the container wall and thepillars, but not extending around the pillars.

The preferred clothes hanger storage device may be adapted to be hungfrom a door, stored underneath a counter or in a closet, or attached tothe door of a cabinet. In an optional embodiment, the container may befitted with a releasable lid that fits over the top of the container.The preferred lid may be moved to a dispensing position, which leavesroom between the container and the lid through which one or more hangersmay be removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front view of an example of a large triangular hanger.

FIG. 1B is a front view of an example of a small triangular hanger.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invented clotheshanger storage device.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of theinvented clothes hanger storage device, wherein the container is fittedwith brackets for attaching the clothes hanger storage device to a door,and wherein hangers are shown positioned inside the container.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, wherein a largetriangular hanger is shown positioned inside the container.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, wherein a smalltriangular hanger is shown positioned inside the container.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a lid that maycooperate with the containers shown in FIGS. 1-7.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the lid shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of theinvented clothes hanger storage device, wherein the lid of FIGS. 8 and 9is shown in combination with the container of FIGS. 4 and 7 and the lidis in a closed position.

FIG. 10B is a detail of the latch of FIG. 10 in the closed position.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10A,wherein the lid is shown in a raised position.

FIG. 11B is a detail of the latch of FIG. 11 in the raised position.

FIG. 12 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the inventedclothes hanger storage device, wherein the front pillars are shown asone elongated unit, and the rear pillars are shown as one elongatedunit.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11A,wherein the clothes hanger storage device is shown hung from a door, andthe lid is in the raised position.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11A,wherein the clothes hanger storage device is shown attached to theunderside of a counter-top, and the lid is in the raised position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the figures, there are shown some, but not the onlyembodiments of the invented clothes hanger storage device. In thepreferred embodiment, the clothes hanger storage device 100 is used tostack, store, and carry a plurality of differently-shaped and -sizedhangers. The clothes hangers comprise a hook H, a neck N, two shouldersections S′, S″, and some hangers may comprise a base B′, B″ connectingthe shoulder sections to form a triangular hanger (see FIGS. 1A and 1B).

In the preferred embodiment, the clothes hanger storage device 100 is agenerally rectangular container 10 comprising a plurality of sidewalls—a base 12, a front wall 14, a rear wall 16, and two end walls 18.The base 12 and the side walls define an interior space 70, as shown inFIG. 2. Preferably, the two end walls 18 are of equal length and thefront 14 and rear 16 walls are of equal length. The front wall 14comprises an elongated slot 22 that extends from the base 12 of thecontainer to the top edge 20 of the front wall 14 for receiving theclothes hanger hooks H. The container 10 may comprise additional neckstructure that extends from the elongated slot 22 and encloses the necksN and hooks H of the hangers. The container 10 is preferably of a heightthat will carry a reasonable number of hangers, for example 6″-10″, sothat the container is not too heavy to carry (see FIGS. 4 and 7). Largercontainers may also be desired for clothing stores, dry cleaners, orlaundry mats, for example. In the preferred embodiment, the container 10is rectangular in shape; however, the inventor envisions that othershapes, such as a triangle, might be used so long as the entire hangerfits within the container. Additionally, handles with apertures 21 maybe provided in the top edge 20 of the two end walls 18 for grasping thecontainer 10 or for securing a lid 30 to the container 10.

The preferred embodiment further comprises a plurality of pillarsextending upward and generally perpendicular to the base 12 of thecontainer 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plurality of pillars arepreferably arranged as two sets of pillars in a triangular fashion—twopillars 22, 23 are positioned toward the front wall 14 of the container10 and two pillars 24, 25 are positioned toward the rear wall 16 of thecontainer 10. The rear pillars 24, 25 are in a plane parallel to thefront pillars 22, 23, but spaced out a distance, so that the respectiverear pillars 24, 25 are closer to the end walls 18 than are the frontpillars 22, 23.

In the preferred embodiment, the pillars are integral with the base 12of the container 10 meaning they are formed as an extension of the base,preferably by molding. The pillars are preferably not solid, so thatthere is a detent corresponding to each pillar in the bottom of the baseof the container, so that the containers may be stacked one on top ofthe other with the pillars from one container sliding into the detentscreated by the hollow pillars of the other container. To accommodate thestacking of the containers, the pillar sides are sloped, as shown tobest advantage in FIGS. 2 and 3, so that the tops 26 of the pillars arepreferably smaller in dimension than the bottoms 28 of the pillars. Thefront pillars 22, 23 are generally cylindrical in shape, and the rearpillars 24, 25 are generally kidney-shaped; however, other shapes may beused, such as, conical, rectaganol, or other aesthetically pleasing oreasy-to-mold shapes.

The sets of pillars are spaced-apart in a triangular arrangement, sothat they can accommodate different shapes and sizes of hangers. Thespacing between the two sets of pillars is sufficient, so that when alarge triangular hanger (shown in FIG. 1A), having a base length between12″ and 14″, and a height (from the base B′ to the top of the hook H)between 9″ and 10″, is placed in the container, the two sets of pillars22, 23 and 24, 25 are completely contained within the framed-space FS ofthe hanger, and the neck N and the hook H of the hanger extend outthrough the elongated slot 22 in the front wall 14 of the container 10(see FIG. 5). Additionally, when a small triangular hanger (shown inFIG. 1B), having a base length between 9″ and 12″ and a height between7″ and 9″, is placed in the container, only the front pillars 22, 23 arecompletely contained within the framed-space FS of the hanger, and thebase B″ of the smaller hanger is trapped in the space between the frontpillars 22, 23, and the rear pillars 24, 25 (see FIG. 6). Further, thespacing between the front pillars 22, 23 and the front wall 14 of thecontainer 10 is sufficient to accommodate a hanger comprising only ahook H, a neck N, and two shoulders, without a base connecting the twoshoulders, so that the front pillars 22, 23 engage the underside of theneck portion and the rear pillars 24, 25 engage the underside of the twoshoulders S. Thus, the hanger is trapped between the front wall 14 ofthe container 10 and the two sets of pillars 22, 23 and 24, 25; however,none of the hanger extends around the pillars (see FIG. 7).

In the preferred embodiment, the relationship between the container 10,the elongated slot 22, and the pillars 22, 23 and 24, 25 is such thatthey are oriented to accommodate a wide variety of hangers. The front 14and rear 16 walls of the container 10 are preferably between 12″-14″ inlength from corner C to corner C, and the end walls 18 are preferablybetween 6″-10″ long from corner C to corner C, but in the preferredembodiment, they are 7″ long (see FIG. 2). The elongated slot 22, in thefront wall 14, is between 1″-2″ in width between its generally verticalwalls W (see FIG. 3). The elongated slot 22 must be wide enough to fitdifferently-sized and -shaped hanger necks, but not too wide that thehanger necks move around significantly. The space between the front mostextremities of the front pillars 22, 23 and the front wall 14 ispreferably between 2.5″-4″. The space between the rear most extremitiesof the rear pillars 24, 25 and the rear wall 16 is between 0.5″-4″.Preferably, the relationship between the pillars and the respectivewalls is close enough in order to tightly retain the hangers around thepillars, or between the walls of the container and the pillars. As shownin FIG. 3, the two front pillars 22, 23 are spaced apart a distance d,between 2″-3″, and the two back pillars 24, 25 are spaced apart adistance d₂ between 8″-10″. The distance d₃ between one front pillar andone rear pillar is preferably between 0.5″-1″; however, this distanceneeds to be only as wide as the thickest small triangular hanger base.

In an alternative embodiment, the plurality of pillars may be a set oftwo elongated pillars/units, one elongated pillar 60 being positionedtoward the front wall 14 of the container 10 and the second elongatedpillar 62 being positioned toward the rear wall 16 of the container 10(see FIG. 12). Preferably, the two elongated pillars 60, 62 are parallelto each other, and the rear pillar 62 is longer in length than the frontpillar 60. The two elongated pillars 60, 62 still resemble a triangularshape, so that they can accommodate a variety of hangers. The distanced₃ between the front pillar 60 and the back pillar 62 is preferablybetween 0.5″-1″. In the alternative embodiment, the elongated pillars60, 62 comprise ends 64, 66 that are slanted relative to the elongatedpillar lengths, contributing to the triangular shape of the outerperimeter of the pillar grouping.

In an especially preferred embodiment, the container 10 is fitted with alid 30. The lid 30 is adapted to be secured to the top edge 20 of thecontainer 10 (see FIGS. 10A and 10B). Preferably, the lid 30 is the sameshape as the container 10 and the lid 30 is also substantially flat orplanar, so that multiple containers could be stacked upon one anotherwith their lids on, and so that the lid may be attached to the undersideof a table or countertop (see FIG. 14). Further, the lid 30 may beadapted to include latches 40 for further securing the lid 30 to thecontainer 10. In the preferred embodiment, the latches 40 are attachedto the short ends 31 of the lid 30. The latches 40 comprise a pluralityof spaced connection members that may be releasably connected to thecontainer 10. Preferably, the connection members comprise a singleprotrusion 42 near the top of the latch 40 and a set of two protrusions44, 46 near the bottom of the latch 40 (see FIGS. 10B and 11B).

The latches 40 permit the lid 30 to moved from a closed position, asshown in FIG. 10A, to a raised or dispensing position, as shown in FIG.11A. When the lid 30 is in the closed position (see FIGS. 10A and 10B),the latches 40 are slid all the way into the apertures 21 in the topedge 20 of the container 10, so that the lid 30 is fitted entirelyaround the top edge 20 of the container 10, and the single protrusion 42abuts against the edge 21′ of the aperture 21 preventing the lid 30 fromcoming off of the container 10. When the lid 30 is in the raised ordispensing position (see FIGS. 11A and 11B), the lid 30 is positionedabove the container 10, so that it is generally parallel to, butslightly distanced from the container 10, and the lower set ofprotrusions 44, 46 are positioned around the edge 21′ of the aperture21. As shown in FIG. 11B, protrusion 44 is positioned above the edge21′, and protrusion 46 is positioned below the edge 21′, so that theedge 21′ is trapped between the lower two protrusions 44, 46. Thus, theprotrusions 42, 44, 46 act as stops or grips, which retain the latches40, and hence, the lid 30 in either of the two desired positions. Theprotrusions 42, 44, 46 may themselves snap onto or around the edge 21′,or may simply abut against the edge 21′, but preferably there is someresilience in either the protrusions 42, 44, 46 or the latch hinges, inorder to retain the latches 40 in the selected position once the userhas moved the latches 40 (as discussed below), and/or purposely snappedthe protrusions around the edge 21′.

In order to move the lid 30 from the closed position to the raised ordispensing position, the user must press the latches 40 toward the endwalls 18 of the container 10, and then raise the lid 30 until theprotrusions 44, 46 snap around the edge 21′ securing the lid 30 in theraised position. The latches 40 may be designed to create, in the raisedposition, a space 50 that is 2″-4″ from the bottom of the lid 30 to thetop edge 20 of the container 10. When the lid 30 is in the raisedposition, the user may remove one or more hangers by sliding the hangersoff of the pillars 22, 23 and/or 24, 25, and out through the space 50between the top edge 20 of the container 10 and the lid 30. Preferably,1-3 hangers may be lifted up and forward out of the device through thespace 50. The latches 40 are preferably made of a sturdy material, so asto support the lid 30 above the container 10. Additionally, other latchmechanisms may be used, such as a latch mechanism that wraps or snapsaround the outside of the container wall instead of going through anaperture in the container, such as arm(s), rod(s), or other fastenersthat can hold the lid in multiple positions relative to the container.

The lid 30 and/or container 10 may be adapted to include mechanisms foraiding in storing or carrying the clothes hanger storage device 100. Forexample, in order to attach the lid 30 to the underside of a table orcountertop, holes 34 may be molded into the lid 30, or otherwiseprovided, in order to screw the lid 30 into a table or countertop. Othermeans of attaching the lid 30 or container 10 without the lid 30 to atable or countertop may be used, such as adhesive strips, chain links,or the lid 30 and/or container 10 may cooperate with glide rails thatallow the clothes hanger storage device to be slid out from underneaththe table or countertop. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lid 30 hasapertures 32 that act as a handle for gripping the container andcarrying it. The lid 30 may be adapted to have other handle structures,such as a handle that is raised above the lid; however, this would beless preferable because it would be difficult to stack the containers.Additionally, the lid 30 may be adapted to not include a handle and theuser could carry the clothes hanger storage device 100 by gripping thesides of the container 10 and the lid 30. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, thecontainer 10 may also be fitted with holes 39 in a side wall forattaching brackets 38. The brackets 38 preferably have a hooked end 38′allowing the container 10 to be hung from a door, cabinet door, or otherstructure comprising an edge (see FIG. 13). Alternatively, the container10 may be attached to a door or cabinet by drilling through the holes 39and securing the container with screws. Further, the clothes hangerstorage device 100 may be stored in a closet or cabinet with noadditional securement mechanism.

Although this invention has been described above with reference toparticular means, materials and embodiments, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to these disclosed particulars, but extendsinstead to all equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

1. A clothes hanger storage device comprising: a container comprising abase and a side wall upending from a perimeter of the base to surroundand define an interior space; a plurality of pillars inside saidinterior space; wherein said side wall comprises at least one opening;and a hanger is located inside said container around said pillars.
 2. Aclothes hanger storage device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality ofpillars are arranged as two sets of pillars, and wherein each set ofpillars comprises two pillars.
 3. A clothes hanger storage device as inclaim 1, wherein said plurality of pillars are arranged in a triangle.4. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 1, wherein said pluralityof pillars are formed as an extension of the base.
 5. A clothes hangerstorage device as in claim 2, wherein said hanger extends around saidtwo sets of pillars.
 6. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 2,wherein said hanger extends around only one set of pillars.
 7. A clotheshanger storage device as in claim 1, wherein a neck of said hangerextends out through said opening in the side wall.
 8. A clothes hangerstorage device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of pillars are twoelongated pillars.
 9. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 8,wherein one elongated pillar is longer than the other elongated pillar,and said elongated pillars are parallel to each other and form atriangle.
 10. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 8, whereinsaid hanger extends around both of said elongated pillars.
 11. A clotheshanger storage device as in claim 8, wherein said hanger extends aroundonly one of said elongated pillars.
 12. A clothes hanger storage devicecomprising: a container comprising a base and a side wall upending froma perimeter of the base to surround and define an interior space,wherein said side wall comprises at least one opening and a top edge; aplurality of pillars inside said interior space; a hanger inside saidcontainer around said pillars; and a lid that is securable to said topedge in a first, closed position wherein said lid is fitted around saidtop edge of the container, and a second, raised position wherein saidlid is positioned a distance away from said top edge.
 13. A clotheshanger storage device as in claim 12, wherein said container compriseshandles in said top edge, and wherein said handles comprise apertures.14. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 13, wherein said lidcomprises a plurality of latches, and wherein said latches are adaptedto cooperate with said apertures.
 15. A clothes hanger storage device asin claim 12, wherein said lid is secured in said first and secondpositions by at least two latches that each comprise a plurality ofspaced connection members that are releasably connectable to thecontainer.
 16. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 15, whereinone or more of said connection members releaseably grip said top edge.17. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 15, wherein one or moreof said connection members abut said top edge.
 18. A clothes hangerstorage device as in claim 12, wherein, when said lid is in the second,raised position, it is parallel to said top edge.
 19. A clothes hangerstorage device as in claim 18, wherein said lid, being spaced a distancefrom said top edge, defines a space for dispensing said hanger from saidcontainer.
 20. A clothes hanger storage device as in claim 19, whereinsaid hanger has a hook that is accessible through said opening, and saidspace for dispensing is sized so that, after being lifted up to the lid,said hanger will slide out of the device through said space.
 21. Aclothes hanger storage device as in claim 12, further comprising one ormore brackets extending from said sidewall, and one or more bracketscomprising a hooked end for extending over a door.
 22. A clothes hangerstorage device as in claim 12, wherein said lid comprises holes adaptedto cooperate with screws for being attached to an underside of a tableor countertop.